You'll thank me later...

Yesterday, I had a very productive day in the National Library of Scotland. It's a wonderful place to work (particularly when it isn't too busy) and it has an amazing atmosphere of scholarship and interest. You can feel the academic vibes...

Sadly the enthusiasm I had for work yesterday when I was finding interesting things to think about is somewhat lost today now I have to get back to my chapter re-writing. I can see it's worth it - what I've done so far is much better than the other draft - but utter panic is now setting in. And we all know, panic is not productive, so I'm trying to keep it at bay with camomile tea.

The most worrying thing I've found about my previous work, though, is how bad my quotations are. I thought I was being careful at the time, but looking at them now, it seems not. Early PhD me did not quote accurately. And now she's wasting a lot of my time because I have to double check everything - I no longer trust her to have done anything right (thus contributing to my panic).

Most final stage PhDs would like to go back and tell our younger PhD selves where we're going with this, to find the focus earlier (although I have enjoyed the journey of finding out exactly what I'm doing, so maybe I wouldn't spoil that for her). I'd like to go back and tell mine, "Do this properly. You may think I'm nagging now, but you will thank me later". So, any early stage researchers reading this - quote carefully and accurately in your drafts. Double check them at the time (I thought I had, so maybe triple check). You may think that I'm nagging now, but you will thank me later...